Drafting Question

[SadieKate]

I personally like to think of triathlons as one big "race of truth" trifecta (where you need a steamer trunk of courage rather than just a suitcase). There is an interesting commentary here.

http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie/antitu/overview.html

[Veronica]

We happened upon a televised race yesterday. It was the final qualifying race for the US Olympic team. It was a 90 minute show. I think the women's race got 7 or 8 minutes of coverage.

Anyway...

I've made a big deal when I've been riding with Thom about not drafting him and trying to see how far away was the right amount. So we're both watching the race and thinking they were cheating!

But then the commentator talked about how it was legal.

Thanks for the link SK.

V.

[rocknrollgirl]

The sprints that I am doing this summer are all sanctioned races and there is no drafting. They had a draft marshall on the course two weeks ago.
I would be in hog heaven if I could draft. I am so small, I could get on some guys wheel and stop pedaling altogether! You should see me with my husband, it is a riot....

[crazycanuck]

I can't think of any tri distances where i've heard drafting was legal..

I know that at the IM I helped as a tech official, it certainly wasn't! (Man is it ever hard to sit on the back of a motorbike with a headwind trying to figure out who's doing what! I think this tri season i'll still help at races but not on the motorbike! )

[alpinerabbit]

I would be in hog heaven if I could draft.....

Then you need to turn pro and race olys....

[Bron]

I understood that it was allowed in ITU world cup events, i.e. only for the pros.

One race here in Munich announced that it was going to allow drafing for everyone simply because it was too difficult to draft-bust everyone. It seemed like a really bad idea to me as this is a race where there are a lot of first-timers, many of whom are not that experienced on the bike (and lots of the decent triathletes here don't seem to do their training in a tight peleton). They announced it as a "race like the pros" type of thing.
They made this announcement a week before the event and at the same time said they would not be allowing aero-bars, disc wheels and mountain bikes with those little bars that poke forwards. I can see lots of people not being happy with being told all of this with only a week's notice.

[crazycanuck]

Well, the 1/2 IM last year in Busso was one big draft fest..
The organizers knew/know about the increase in people but space will always be limited. I can assure you it was discussed on a local tri site..

Let's just say some of the bigger/more experienced tech officials handed out TONS of drafting penalties.. Even on a crowded course, the drafting rules still apply.

Even if you're new, you need to read the rules. The information is avaialble.

[rocknrollgirl]

I was kidding...it was a joke.....